Moon Grieved

by Jennifer Snyder

  “They’re fine,” Eli insisted as he leaned back against the couch. “Werewolf healing.”

  I crossed to the kitchen and placed Moonshine’s leash on the counter, before contemplating what I wanted for breakfast and pouring myself a glass of orange juice. The desire to ask if Eli wanted me to make him something built on the tip of my tongue. I didn’t ask though because he had already said he wasn’t hungry. I didn’t want to push the issue.

  Opting for a bowl of cereal, I leaned against the kitchen counter and tried not to stare at him as he looked at the map sprawled across our coffee table. He was adding things to a smaller map while mumbling to himself when a knock sounded at the front door.

  “Come in,” Eli shouted. He didn’t look up from the maps.

  The door opened and Dorian stepped inside. Moonshine jumped off the couch and bolted straight to him. I chuckled at the way her tongue flipped out of her mouth while she ran.

  “Aw, hello there, cutie,” Dorian said as he bent down to scratch behind her ear. His gaze drifted to Eli when he straightened himself. Sympathy worked its way into his features before he shifted his gaze to me. He swallowed hard and nodded. I was positive he could feel the tension rippling off Eli and was asking without words if he was okay. I nodded in reply before he started toward Eli. “The others will be here any second. I saw Frank headed this way before I knocked.”

  “Good,” Eli insisted without looking up from his maps. “We have a lot to discuss.”

  Dorian nodded, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he folded his arms over his chest and studied Eli. I got the impression he wanted to say something, but he wasn’t sure how to word it properly.

  Another knock sounded at the door. I was glad because whatever Dorian was about to say I didn’t think Eli would enjoy hearing it.

  “It’s open,” Eli shouted.

  Frank stepped inside, followed by Sabin, Max, Glenn, and Dorian’s dad, Charles. I finished the rest of my cereal as I watched the men congregate in my living room. They waited for Eli to say something, to let them know why they were here, but he refused to be bothered. Instead, he continued marking on his map.

  I rinsed my bowl in the kitchen sink as another knock sounded at the front door. Wasn’t everyone here? Who else could Eli have called?

  Eli glanced up from what he was doing and took in those around him for the first time. The same thought must have crossed his mind because his brows pinched together.

  Whoever was at the door knocked a second time, this time louder than the first.

  “Come in,” Eli insisted.

  Tate stepped inside. I wasn’t sure who I’d been expecting to see, but the sight of him had my tense muscles relaxing.

  “I thought everyone was coming this way. Figures you’d hold a damn meeting without me,” Tate said through gritted teeth, his gaze locked on Eli. “I want to be here. I want to be a part of this. Whatever it is. Don’t you dare deny me.”

  Tension rippled through the room as Tate and Eli began a silent stare down. No one spoke. We were all waiting to hear Eli’s reply. I hoped he didn’t send Tate away. He had every right to be here. Yes, he was young, but he was hurting as bad as Eli. He was also as much a part of this pack as the rest of us.

  “Fine,” Eli insisted as he continued to stare at Tate with cold, dark eyes. It was clear he didn’t like being told what to do in front of everyone, especially not when it came from his kid brother, but it was also clear he understood Tate’s demand.

  Next to Eli, Tate was the oldest of the Vargas boys. He also was the one who was most similar to Eli. They both held a ferocious desire to protect those they cared about and to seek justice for those taken from them too soon.

  The Midnight Reaper had no clue whom he’d screwed with.

  Tate swallowed hard. He licked his lips, and I swore I saw relief trickle through his features.

  “Okay, now that everyone’s here,” Eli said. His eyes narrowed as he glanced around the room. “We have some important things to discuss. You all are well aware of what happened to my father—our alpha—yesterday, and that it was a vampire responsible.”

  Everyone in the room nodded, but no one spoke.

  As sad as it was, we all knew what the death of our alpha meant—Eli was alpha now. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t made it through the rite ceremony yet, which was customary; he was still the alpha. It was his birthright. Everyone could feel that the shift of power had already been made. It rippled off Eli in waves, intensified by the rage and heartbreak echoing through him.

  “Mina and I went into the woods last night to search for clues—”

  “That was a dumb idea,” Dorian interrupted. “What were you thinking? You saw what this thing can do. It wiped out your dad like he was nothing. He didn’t even have a chance against him.”

  My gaze drifted to Dorian. How could he say something so insensitive? The desire to reach out and smack him pulsed through me.

  Charles, Dorian’s dad, nudged him. “Respect, Dorian. Have a little respect.”

  Dorian dropped his chin. “I’m sorry.”

  “I couldn’t stay here. I couldn’t just sit here. I had to do something,” Eli insisted.

  “Did you find anything?” Tate asked.

  Eli shook his head. “Not really, no. We found a scrap of Jane’s nightgown with a smear of blood on it, and we also learned she was attacked in the woods, or at least that’s our thought. There was a puddle of blood.”

  “So what, this thing lured her into the woods?” Sabin asked.

  “I think so,” Eli insisted.

  Max huffed. “What a sick fu—”

  “I know,” Eli said. “In my research last night, there seemed to be a couple of instances where the victim was toyed with before being killed. At least ten of them. The rest were split between being mutilated or drained.”

  “What did he do, play eeny meeny miny moe to decide which victims were going to receive which torture?” Max asked. Disgust dripped from his words.

  “Is there a strategy? Like a way to tell what he’ll do next based off his previous victims?” Dorian asked before Eli could respond to Max.

  “I thought all night about how this might be the doings of one vampire and why he’d bounce from one horrific way to kill someone to another. It didn’t make sense,” Eli insisted. He pointed to the big map in front of him. “This is the U.S. I checked worldwide, but there didn’t seem to be any killings in other countries by the Midnight Reaper, at least none reported on mainstream media. It looks as though he started in Los Angeles and made his way across the United States. The problem is there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how he’s killing people, which leads me to believe there might be more than one killer involved. More than one vampire.”

  “A pack of mindless bloodsucking vampires,” Tate spat. “Great, I’m sure that’s exactly what everyone wanted to hear.”

  “It makes sense to think there’s more than one,” Max said.

  “It does, but it doesn’t tell us how many we could potentially be dealing with,” Frank insisted. His gaze dipped to the map. “How many were you thinking?”

  “Based on everything I’ve looked at, it seems we might be dealing with three or four vampires.”

  “Did any of you happen to see how many were out there yesterday when you searched the woods after the incident with Jane?” Dorian glanced around the room.

  “Already told you, they were fast as hell. Definitely not afraid to use vampy speed,” Glenn insisted.

  Was he insinuating they were faster than a regular vampire? Was that what I saw last night? A super fast vampire? Or was it something else entirely?

  “The speed made it hard to distinguish if there was more than one vampire present,” Sabin said.

  “So, there could have been more than one out there with you?” I asked, thinking we were right.

  “I can’t guarantee it, but it would make damn good sense.” Sabin nodded.

  “Okay, so. What do we know abou
t vampires?” Dorian asked as he folded his arms over his chest and paced the living room. Moonshine followed behind him like his shadow. “We know they can have special powers, which means there’s a possibility this one has increased speed.”

  “Is that even a thing?” I asked. “I mean, I guess it could be. I just figured vampires are fast anyway. Why would one be super fast?”

  “Why not?” Eli countered. “Look at the Montevallos. We know they each have special powers. Why shouldn’t others? Even Regina held the power of compulsion.”

  “I’m not saying the Midnight Reaper couldn’t potentially have some sort of power,” I said. “What I’m saying is I don’t think super speed counts since they already have that ability regularly.”

  Eli’s eyes locked on me. “I don’t think it’s something we should discredit yet.”

  “All right,” I said, granting him that. “So, if this vampire has super speed, could he have potentially killed all of those people by himself?”

  “Why are you suddenly back to there being one killer?” Glenn asked.

  My mind shifted to a paranormal book Gracie had told me she’d read once. It was about a vampire who was haunted by his past. He went around killing people and tormenting them as though he were locked in the mind of this vicious form of his prior self, unable to break free.

  My gut was telling me this might be something similar.

  “I’m just trying out all of the possibilities,” I insisted. “There’s a chance this could be one vampire we’re dealing with. One who’s haunted by his past. Maybe there were three ways he chose to kill his victims over the last hundred, or hundreds, of years.”

  Silence built through the trailer.

  “Why now, though?” Tate asked. It is clear he was taking my new theory into consideration.

  I shrugged. “Why not? Maybe something changed. Maybe someone he loved passed away. Who knows? All I’m saying is that there’s a good chance this could still be one vampire since no one can say for sure.”

  I liked the idea of it being one. We would have a better chance of killing it then.

  “I say we visit the Montevallos and see if they know anything about all of this,” Dorian insisted.

  “I think you’re right,” Eli agreed with a nod his head. “We need to rework the patrol schedule now that the Midnight Reaper has clearly stepped foot in town. This is a map of Mirror Lake. Here’s where Jane’s body was found. Here’s where Mina and I found the puddle of her blood. These are the few areas I could think of where a vampire might hide out.” Eli pointed to circles on the map he’d created. “I think we should split up. A few of us should talk with the Montevallos while others search for this vampire’s, or vampires’, hideout. Who wants to do what?”

  “Maybe it would be best if you talked to the Montevallos first,” Charles insisted. “It might be best to gain as much knowledge on the subject before diving in headfirst.”

  “Sounds good,” Dorian agreed with his dad.

  Eli’s jaw twitched as he contemplated the suggestion.

  “All right,” he said. “After we talk to them, we’ll talk to the witches, and then we’ll split up and search the town.”

  Murmurs of agreement were spoken. We would talk to the Montevallos and then the Caraways, afterward I’d make sure Eli ate something and got some rest. He needed both. Especially if we were going up against the Midnight Reaper anytime soon.

  14

  The Montevallo vampires lived near the edge of town in an old brick mansion. It consisted of two massive stories with a high-pitched A-framed roof. There was a circular gravel driveway in the front and a perfectly manicured yard. A small house sat to the right of the mansion made from the same materials. I assumed it was the caretaker’s home. Did they have a caretaker? I imagined they had to have someone to care for the place while they were away for years on end.

  Did this caretaker know he worked for vampires? Or was he compelled to not notice strange happenings by Ivette?

  My stomach soured as thoughts of the doctors Regina had compelled filled my mind. They’d been practically zombies. I hoped that wasn’t the case with the Montevallos’ caretaker.

  As we crept up the gravel road, I spotted the same baby blue car I witnessed Julian drive. Two more vehicles were parked in front of it—a cherry red sports car and a solid black one. Both were different models and brands. I assumed they belonged to Julian’s sisters.

  Wasn’t there a fourth sibling? Another male?

  When would he be making an appearance in Mirror Lake? Did he even get along with his siblings? Was he returning home like they had? Maybe he didn’t want to.

  I didn’t blame him.

  If I were a vampire, I wasn’t sure I’d return home either. What was the point? Everyone you knew and loved would have already passed. It seemed too depressing.

  Instead, I’d travel the world, never staying in one place long.

  And unlike the vampires in the paranormal shows Gracie watched, I’d stay away from New Orleans. Gran had taken me and Gracie once a couple years ago when she paid a well-known witch who owned a shop on Bourbon Street a visit for some special herb seeds. That section of the city could be pretty disgusting. Even in the middle of the day, it still smelled like puke.

  Eli cut the engine of his truck and let out a long exhale. It was clear he didn’t want to be here.

  “This place is a hell of a lot bigger than I thought it would be,” Dorian insisted as he slipped out the passenger seat and glanced up, soaking in the mansion. “I can’t believe I’ve never scoped this place out before.”

  “I know what you mean,” I muttered as climbed out of the truck behind him. I slammed the passenger door shut and started toward the front door. An intricate vine with flowers had been carved out of the wood door that nearly took my breath away.

  I hadn’t stepped foot inside yet and already I was wowed by the place’s beauty.

  “It’s too big for me,” Eli growled as he walked straight to the front door.

  “I think it’s amazing,” I said. “There’s this romantic vibe oozing from it I like.”

  “Romantic vibe?” Dorian teased. “God, you’re such a damn girl sometimes.”

  I rolled my eyes, but before I could say anything in response to his jab, the front door of the place opened.

  Julian stood in the threshold, dressed in dark jeans and a gray cable knit sweater. His dark-framed glasses reflected the sunlight behind us, and his hair had been spiked to perfection again. I wondered how much time it took him to get it to stand up like that each morning.

  My gaze drifted to his face. The expression he wore had my wolf on guard.

  He didn’t seem happy to see us. In fact, he looked on edge. Anxiety and tension rippled off him, vibrating through the air and making me question if coming here was a good idea. I glanced at the guys, trying to gauge their reaction. Dorian seemed uneasy, but Eli looked as though he was ready to go head-to-head with Julian in a full-out brawl.

  “Julian,” Eli said with a sharp edge to his tone. “We have something we need to discuss with you. It involves the Midnight Reaper.”

  I reached out for Eli’s hand and smoothed my thumb against the length of his index finger to calm him. Where was all of his tension and hostility coming from? Was it because he was in the presence of a vampire? Even though this wasn’t the one responsible for his father’s death, his wolf might not care—which meant his wolf might be fighting him for control or fueling him with rage.

  The twitch under Eli’s eye seemed to diminish at the same time his features visibly relaxed. My touch was having the effect on him I’d wanted. This was good. He needed to get his crap together because Julian wasn’t the enemy—the Midnight Reaper was.

  At the same time Eli seemed to relax from my touch, Julian relaxed as well.

  “I had a feeling you’d be by soon,” he said as he stepped aside and motioned for us to enter. “Please, come in.”

  He’d had a feeling we’d be coming by so
on? What did that mean? Did Julian have the power of premonition? His youngest sister could compel people, and I knew he had a talent. I just didn’t know what. It had to do with the mind or possibly emotions, I was positive of it.

  My gaze narrowed on him as I walked past him into the mansion he called home.

  Gleaming cherrywood floors and dark paneled walls captured my attention. There was a massive crystal chandelier casting light from behind us in every direction. It looked like a gigantic diamond dripping from the ceiling.

  Julian closed the door behind us once we were all inside. He moved down the richly colored wooden steps that led to a sunken great room next, motioning we follow.

  A rich color palette of reds, creams, and deep browns decorated the room. It was all too dark and dreary for my tastes, but this was the home of vampires.

  Julian continued to a chocolate brown sofa positioned in front of the stone fireplace and situated himself there.

  “Please, have a seat,” he said. “Can I get anyone anything to drink?”

  “No,” Eli insisted as he released my hand to sit on the opposite sofa. The tension was back in his features.

  Dorian sat beside him. “Nope, I’m good.”

  Julian’s eyes locked on me. I shook my head.

  “Okay,” Julian said. “You mentioned the Midnight Reaper. What about him brings you to me?”

  “Are you aware of his killings?” Eli asked. His facial features tightened as he spoke. This was more difficult for him than I’d thought it would be.

  Julian nodded. “Yes, unfortunately.”

  “Are you aware the killer has struck in Mirror Lake within the last twenty-four hours?” Eli pressed.

  Julian eyed Eli carefully. “I am, but I’m sorry, I’m not sure where you’re going with this. My sisters and I heard about the death of a young girl, but why would that bring you to my doorstep?”

  “Jane, her name was Jane,” Eli insisted. “She was killed by the Midnight Reaper. So was my father.”